Professor John Robertson OBA

From School attendance, absence and exclusions statistics 2024-25 published yesterday:

Cases of exclusion decreased from 11,673 in 2022/23 to 10,647 in 2024/25. This is consistent with the overall downward trend since 2006/07.

The rate of exclusions per 1,000 pupils decreased from 16.6 in 2022/23 to 15.2 in 2024/25. This is consistent with the overall downward trend since 2006/07.

No pupils were removed from the register in 2024/25, compared with one pupil in 2022/23. This is the first time there has been no pupils removed from the register since records began in 2002/03.

In England, in the same period, there were 335 671 exclusions, Three times the rate in Scotland. (402 and 160 per 1 000).

3 715 pupils were permanently excluded, 4 per 1 000², infinitely more than in Scotland.

Does this matter?

Today we publish research that provides evidence suggesting that school exclusions do have a causal impact on youth custody. These results highlight an onward negative criminal justice outcome of education policy that, to the best of our knowledge, has not previously been quantified. ³

Pupils excluded from school are at a “heightened risk” of being drawn into county lines drugs gangs, an official report warns. Police officers “reported a strong link between school exclusion and becoming a target for county lines criminals”, according to Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services. ³

Knife crime: Excluded pupils ‘sucked into criminality’ – Theresa May is being warned that a “broken” system of support for troubled and excluded youngsters lies at the heart of a rise in knife crime. Police commissioners and London’s mayor have written to the PM saying pupils, both formally and informally excluded, are being “sucked into criminality”.⁴

Imagine this was the other way round. Imagine the Scottish media coverage.

Sources:

1. https://www.gov.scot/publications/school-attendance-absence-and-exclusions-statistics-2024-25/
2. https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/suspensions-and-permanent-exclusions-in-england/2024-25-autumn-term
3. https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=67f6b956d16174abdf323bd6974d65b7be6a7684db8714abb39b85479aa8610dJmltdHM9MTc2NTIzODQwMA&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=4&fclid=040f0c0f-8f6f-69bb-36d4-18948ed46872&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmkudGVhbS9ibG9ncy9kby1zY2hvb2wtZXhjbHVzaW9ucy1pbmNyZWFzZS1jcmltZS8jOn46dGV4dD1FeGNsdXNpb25zJTIwYXJlJTIwdGhlJTIwbW9zdCUyMHNldmVyZSUyMHB1bmlzaG1lbnRzJTIwYXZhaWxhYmxlJTIwaW4sYW5kJTIwd2VsbC1lc3RhYmxpc2hlZCUyMHJpc2slMjBmYWN0b3JzJTIwZm9yJTIwZnV0dXJlJTIwY3JpbWluYWwlMjBiZWhhdmlvdXIu
4. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-47470502